I do not understand why words like ga-y are censored. Is it part of the package when you use this web-site? Surely the original meaning of ga-y hasn't been entirely hijacked. Are we never to write, "don we now our ga-y apparel without benefit of a hyphen or some other creative form of tricking the censor?

cheers,
Basso (who feels very ga-y this evening, in the old fashioned sense of the word)

I posted this in the off-topic forum not too long ago. I also find it obsurd that words like ga-y and lesbia'n are censored -- it makes me think about the politics of the site/the people who created it --I wrote to the administrator/moderator about this -- he reponded with an absolutely ignorant/homophobic e-mail (just a week ago). He compared a 'ga-y lifestyle' with necrophiliacs, child molestor-s, etc ... the response was beyond just ignorant and crude. Saying things like homosexualiy-y is shoved down people's throats and nobody has to accept gay-s, he made a reference to gay-s being a bother like Jehova-h's witnesses.

Hey Tanya. I suspect that when one sets up a forum like this, there is a soft-ware that has a built in censor. I once wrote spi-c and span, and it got beeped. It is a little silly, but more of a nuisance than anything else. I also suspect that words like g-ay are censored to stop people from using them derogatorily. The censor is in place, ironically, to stop bigotry. Just another well meaning failure in the history of censorship.

This forum, by in large, is a very tolerant one. I am actually very glad that the moderator just lets things go. The forum is full of intelligent, sensitive people and the collective goodwill does more to correct aberrant behaviour than any censor ever could. I also enjoy the free rein that I have. LOL

However, I am entirely sorry that you were insulted when asking a simple question. There seems any number of ways to have handled such a query. I am not privy to your pm, nor his, but I would hope that no person would feel entitled to belittle someone else, no matter what their personal opinions.

I want to thank you for your kind words on the forum and via private message.

I decided to copy and paste the response from the "moderator" of this site and post it here because I just feel that it's important for other people to see the kind of intolerance and and ignorance that he exhibited. My private message question to him was about why words like ga-y and lesbia-n are bleeped? His respose was atrocious as you will see below. How can someone compare homosexuali-ty with beastiality or child molestation!!!

I omitted just one sentence from his response to me (below) because even though he is absolutely obnoxious and clearly a bigot; I still decided to give him the respect & privacy by not posting somethig that he for some reason shared which is personal.

Basso, I agree in the hope that no person would feel entitled to belittle someone else, no matter what their personal opinions - unfortunately this is not the case with our "moderator".

~Tanya
P.S. Just an FYI- I posted a question in the "Off Topic" forum, mentioning that any ga-y & lesbia-n BFSers are welcome to drop by and say hello.
I agree that this is not what the BFS site is about, this is why I posted in the off-topic area - as others posted q's about rock'n roll, asking about geographic location, other disorders, etc.

**From: Arron
To: 1TwitchingTherapist
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:57 am
Subject: Re: ga-y and lesbi-an replaced by bleeps???
Here's the deal, first off, I am not a a homophobic but g-ay and lez-bo stuff doesn't belong on this web site. No one here needs to know if some guy wants to stick his pecker into another guy's as-s, or of some chick is into licking another chick. People like myself have no problem if other's want to do that, but I, (and everyone else) don't NEED to know about it anymore than I want to know if some cowboy is into sheep, or if some freak is into children, or if someone is into necrophelia.

If it's OK to throw around sexual preferences, then I see no problem with everyone throwing around what they "prefer" as well, such as necropheliacs, beastiality, self mutilation, Jesus freaks, athiests, and everyone else who is different than the VAST majority, but who the VAST majority do NOT want to know about.

None of us NEED to "accept" anyone or "like" the fact that it is thrown down our throats every single day, anymore than we like some dip-sh-it Jehova's Witnesses knocking on our doors at 7am in the morning spreading their word, (pretty annoying aren't they!), and it's pretty obvious when not even the programmers that made this web site and its automatic word editing system (of which I have nothing to do with and have absolutely no control over) feel the same way.

If people want to spew the words "g-ay" and "lez-bo" around, I would suggest they try a site that fits that forte', cause this one is about people with BFS, and has absolutely NOTHING to do with who prefer's what as far as sexuality goes.

Just because someone is g-ay or bi, doesn't mean people must accept you or that they appreciate you reminding them about it. The rest of us are exactly that same way with g-ay people. It's isn't that we are homophobics at all, it's that we just don't want, (or need) to hear about it, and I guess the people that made the automatic programs for this web site feel the same way.**

I want to thank you for your kind words on the forum and via private message.

I decided to copy and paste the response from the "moderator" of this site and post it here because I just feel that it's important for other people to see the kind of intolerance and and ignorance that he exhibited. My private message question to him was about why words like ga-y and lesbia-n are bleeped? His respose was atrocious as you will see below. How can someone compare homosexuali-ty with beastiality or child molestation!!!

I omitted just one sentence from his response to me (below) because even though he is absolutely obnoxious and clearly a bigot; I still decided to give him the respect & privacy by not posting somethig that he for some reason shared which is personal.

Basso, I agree in the hope that no person would feel entitled to belittle someone else, no matter what their personal opinions - unfortunately this is not the case with our "moderator".

~Tanya
P.S. Just an FYI- I posted a question in the "Off Topic" forum, mentioning that any ga-y & lesbia-n BFSers are welcome to drop by and say hello.
I agree that this is not what the BFS site is about, this is why I posted in the off-topic area - as others posted q's about rock'n roll, asking about geographic location, other disorders, etc.

**From: Arron
To: 1TwitchingTherapist
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:57 am
Subject: Re: ga-y and lesbi-an replaced by bleeps???
Here's the deal, first off, I am not a a homophobic but g-ay and lez-bo stuff doesn't belong on this web site. No one here needs to know if some guy wants to stick his pecker into another guy's as-s, or of some chick is into licking another chick. People like myself have no problem if other's want to do that, but I, (and everyone else) don't NEED to know about it anymore than I want to know if some cowboy is into sheep, or if some freak is into children, or if someone is into necrophelia.

If it's OK to throw around sexual preferences, then I see no problem with everyone throwing around what they "prefer" as well, such as necropheliacs, beastiality, self mutilation, Jesus freaks, athiests, and everyone else who is different than the VAST majority, but who the VAST majority do NOT want to know about.

None of us NEED to "accept" anyone or "like" the fact that it is thrown down our throats every single day, anymore than we like some dip-sh-it Jehova's Witnesses knocking on our doors at 7am in the morning spreading their word, (pretty annoying aren't they!), and it's pretty obvious when not even the programmers that made this web site and its automatic word editing system (of which I have nothing to do with and have absolutely no control over) feel the same way.

If people want to spew the words "g-ay" and "lez-bo" around, I would suggest they try a site that fits that forte', cause this one is about people with BFS, and has absolutely NOTHING to do with who prefer's what as far as sexuality goes.

Just because someone is g-ay or bi, doesn't mean people must accept you or that they appreciate you reminding them about it. The rest of us are exactly that same way with g-ay people. It's isn't that we are homophobics at all, it's that we just don't want, (or need) to hear about it, and I guess the people that made the automatic programs for this web site feel the same way.**

Wow, I hosestly don't know what to say. I am glad that was a private message, lol.

I am sure that the poster did not want it made public, but now that it is....I guess someone needs to comment. I'll go first. I am surprised to see that beastiality, child molestation, necrophilia, and self mutilation were lumped into the same category as Jesus freaks, Jehovah's witnesses, atheists, and homosexuals?? Odd?

We all have our prejudices. We all carry with us the belief that there are right and wrong ways of doing things....ours of course being the right way. Some of the things listed above are crimes, some are illnesses that need treatment, others are religious choices.......... perhaps not ours but someones. Another is a sexual preference........ perhaps not ours but someones.

I guess no-one likes constantly hearing about someone elses lifestyle choices ad nasuem.....or having anything "shoved down our throats" ( his reference to the Johavah's ringing the bell at 7 am) I don't think anyone viewed that as what was happening here.

All of us need to work towards tolerence, understanding, acceptance, and just plain kindness every day or this world is not going to make it.

I do want to mention.....while I think that we do need to work towards tolerence, a few of those things mentioned above deserve no tolerence, of course I mean child molestation. Wanted to clarify that.

Not sure about beastiality.....I guess if both parties agree and no-one gets hurt, lol. Darby is off limits...I will show no tolerence for that !!!!!!

Thank you for your reply - I completely I gree with you about us needing to work towards tolerance, understanding, and very basic human regard/respect.

Of course he did not want this response to be made public, and for people to get a glimpse of the hatred and warped logic that runs through his mind. But when a person (especially as a 'moderator' of a side) answers an innocent inquiry with such ignorance - there is no justice if this remains within the secrecy of a private message reply.